I thought it might be difficult to plan for my exact 100th ride this time of year, since the weather can lead to cancellations. I chose the date of 15th February a few weeks ago, hoping today would work out to be 100th and not number 99, or I would feel like a fraud!
(My original blog photos disappeared. I have hopefully restored most of the blog, but apologies if the layout in some parts has gone a bit weird!)
With the assistance of Jill, Cathy and Sue, we were able to offer enough places so that everyone who wanted to come, was able to join us. A few regulars missed out, doing half term holiday family stuff which was a shame. BUT a bonus was that it meant that our amazing Breeze area co-coordinator Rachel could join us, since she was off this week from school. 😊 Lovely to have you along Rachael. Also lovely to meet Hazel for the first time, who can't normally make a Wednesday ride. (SO, turns out Kathie and Hazel trained together decades ago, and haven't seen each other since! They had a good old chin wag today. Small world)
We all met in Sonning Common for a 10am start and it was only 4 degrees, but due to warm up to 12 today! Amazing for February. But it meant it was difficult to know what to wear. 😕
This card in the post a couple of days ago from Rachael. Thank you.
A few words from Rachel, and myself, before we set off.
Route
We left Sonning Common and headed to Kidmore End, turning right at the junction at the church. Then straight on, and across on a dogleg, to ride on Wyfold Road. Our first climb of the day on Emmens Lane up into Checkendon, then around the road passing the Equestian Centre. (I had warned of loads of potholes on this road.....but they had been filled in! At last!! 😁)
We continued in two groups with our gentle climb all the way to Nuffield where we all regrouped. Then still in two groups, crossed to Huntercombe End and Park Corner, regrouping once more as we turned at the War Memorial, and signposted to Swyncombe.
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| Left here at Park Corner War Memorial. |
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| Cathy, Kim, Amanda T and Jeanette |
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| Amy arriving to drop into Swyncombe Church on the Ridgeway. |
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| Rent a crowd! |
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Jeanette, Sandra, Sue, Hazel. me, Jill, Amanda O, Rose (front), Rachel,
Kim (behind), Amy, Amanda T, Kathie, Cathy, and Angela.
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| A second graveyard has fabulous views. |
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| We didnt ride on the Ridgeway, but crossed it a few times today. |
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| A lora, lora bikes. |
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| Scent was amazing |
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| Inside St Botolph's church |
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| Rose and Kim catching some rays |
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| Sandra enjoying the views. |
At this point, a few ladies were missing, and it turned out that Amanda T's chain had come off on the steep little uphill away from the church to the main road. It had got rather stuck! I peddled back down to see if I could help. Just at that point, a male cyclists dropped down to the church. "Are you ok?" he asked. Normally I say yes, but since several minutes had passed, and attempts had already been made to free up the chain, I actually said "No... could you help?" (bet he was wishing he'd never asked. 😂). It took a bit of brute force, but he did free it up, but it got stuck again. Second attempt we were sorted.
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| Me. This view always impressive from Swyncombe down to Ewelme. |
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| Then a chance for a champs photo. Taken on my camera by Angela. |
And now, a long downhill and a right turn into Eweleme. I could see in my mirror that some ladies had not turned the corner, but were faffing doing something! What now!!? Sandra had got a twig in her front tyre with a big thorn sticking into her tyre! She removed the twig and left the thorn in... that seemed to work! No puncture!!
We carried on to Eweleme, and since the majority had not been here before, had a look at the beautiful Almeshouses and the church. And a large queue formed for the public loo, which was the first "official loo" on our route today. 😜
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Stopping for a visit to Ewelme church and Almshouses
and the oldest school in the country. |
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| Handy to know about the public loo inside here! |
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| Inside the beautiful church which is often used as a film location. |
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| Alice Chaucer, the poet Geoffrey Chaucers grand daughter. |
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Bike Guard duty. Its a tough life.
Cathy and Sue have been to Ewelme before, so volunteered to stay with the bikes |
We continued through Ewelme, passing the Watercress beds and into Benson, with the stream on our left down through the village. We also passed the runway of RAF Benson. Then across the busy A4074 to our lunchstop. Think it was around 12.15 by now.
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| Not a bad spot for lunch. |
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Nachos were delicious. Every one enjoyed their lunch.
and the service was as efficient as always. |
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| Hazel, Jeaneette and Kim |
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| Best seats in the house! |
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| Jill, Angela, Katie, Rachel and Sue. |
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| Amanda O, Rose, Amy and Amanda T |
We left the cafe, waiting just around the corner, but a few ladies missing. Oh dear what now? Rachel had a puncture. She had skinny tyres which are always more difficult. Between us we sooooo nearly got the tyre back on. Just the last couple of inches was tough. I had been chatting to a couple of male cyclists, so for the second time today, male to the rescue. But as he said, he got the glory but we had already done all the work. 😜
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| Rachel started the puncture repair. |
Through Preston Crowmarsh now, and this pretty cottage with a fox and Chicken on the thatch
Then from Crowmarsh Gifford, our climb to Ipsden begins. Our first proper workout of the day and the landscape changes to vast open fields, which part way along, once more crosses the Ridgeway.
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photo by Angela
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Another little cheeky climb follow as we cross the Ipsden open landscape, then a left turn into Bottom Lane to climb back up to Checkendon. The first mile or so is fine, then suddenly it ramps up. Phew! We met at the top, minus Amanda T, whose chain was off again. We heard from Jeaneette that two blokes had stopped to help her, so she eventually appeared.
(I was congratulating Cathy on her ascent of Bottom Lane, since this is, I thought, the first time she has made it all the way to the top. "A lot easier on my ebike" she replied. I didn't know she had bought one! LOL. It' s the same colour as her other bike, so it's well disguised. Good for you Cathy. Enjoy it.😉)
Easy now into Stoke Row, and our last "tourist" stop of the day at The Maharajahs's well, since again many had never been here.  |
| Maharaja's Well , Stoke Row |
Finally a whizz downhill through Rotherfield Peppard, on the Kingwood Road all the way down to Sonning Common. (No foliage on the trees yet, but his road is stunning in the spring with fresh Beech foliage).
Well done everyone and thank you so much for joining me today, for such a fabulous day out. A great memory of my 100th ride as a Breeze Champ. The feedback seems to be that you all really enjoyed it. Not home until 4.15, but who cares? I think you are all ready for a few more hills.😂
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Many thanks to the Champs who organised by card,
and how nice too that a few that werent there today also signed it. |
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| Back of my card |
See you all again soon for some more adventures on our bikes. x
